


Fall Around Me Now

by emptydistractions



Series: You're the Only Place That Feels Like Home [2]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Captain America Steve Rogers, Captain America Steve Rogers/Modern Bucky Barnes, Cock Tease, Eyeliner, M/M, Power Dynamics, Power Exchange, Sex Work, Sex Worker Bucky Barnes, Teasing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-20
Updated: 2019-12-20
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:15:32
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21864337
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emptydistractions/pseuds/emptydistractions
Summary: “I was starting to think you’d gone and died on me.” There was amusement in Steve’s tone.Bucky reached up and pulled down the sheet just far enough to expose the top of his head and his eyes so that he could stare at Steve. It wasn’t nearly as warm in the bedroom as it was under the covers, and he immediately shivered. But the way the afternoon sunlight lit up Steve’s face and the warm smile he gave Bucky were more than worth it.“Will you at least say nice things about me at the funeral?” Bucky asked, his voice muffled where his mouth was still covered.“Of course,” Steve nodded solemnly down at him. “Bucky was sweet and smart and-”“Hilarious,” Bucky added. “Don’t forget hilarious.”
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers
Series: You're the Only Place That Feels Like Home [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1528691
Comments: 23
Kudos: 275





	Fall Around Me Now

**Author's Note:**

> This part takes place after the end of Some Secrets Are Meant To Be Told.
> 
> Hope you like it!

Someone was watching him.

Bucky could feel it, even though his eyes were closed and he was buried under layers of thick blankets. The room was quiet, but still, the feeling of Steve watching him gave him shivers as something warm like liquid gold pooled in his belly. Steve _was_ watching him- that he was sure of. He didn’t know how, but the air always felt different when Steve was in the room.

Or maybe he knew because he was in Steve’s fuckin’ apartment. Bucky sighed as he opened his eyes and tried to blink away the bleariness. This relationship was turning him into a goddamn romantic.

Slowly, Bucky came back to himself bit by bit. Steve’s bedroom was pleasantly warm, and Bucky was wrapped up in a cocoon of sheets. Sunlight was filling the room, but the brightness was dampened by the fabric over his head. The only sound was the hum of the heater working against the mid-winter chill. He almost gave in to the very strong desire to just close his eyes and drift off back to sleep, but the temptation of seeing Steve was too great. Just the thought of him had Bucky’s heart beating the tiniest bit faster.

“You can stop creepin’ in the doorway,” Bucky called out from beneath the blankets. “I’m awake.”

There was the sound of feet on the carpet; heavy steps muffled by the thick fibers. Then the mattress dipped as Steve sat on the edge of the bed. Bucky could feel the heat radiating from his body even through the blankets.

“How long’ve I been asleep?” Bucky yawned.

“Nearly 15 hours.”

Bucky blinked, suddenly wide awake. _15 hours?_ He knew he’d been tired, but that felt excessive. After the entire situation at the Tower with Pierce, Steve had brought Bucky back to his apartment. He barely remembered slipping into a pair of Steve’s old sleep pants and a soft t-shirt before falling into bed. If he tried hard enough, he thought he could recall Steve tucking the blankets around him, but that may just as well have been a dream. Bucky felt like he’d only just laid down, but apparently he had slept for more than half a day.

“I was starting to think you’d gone and died on me.” There was amusement in Steve’s tone.

Bucky reached up and pulled down the sheet just far enough to expose the top of his head and his eyes so that he could stare at Steve. It wasn’t nearly as warm in the bedroom as it was under the covers, and he immediately shivered. But the way the afternoon sunlight lit up Steve’s face and the warm smile he gave Bucky were more than worth it.

“Will you at least say nice things about me at the funeral?” Bucky asked, his voice muffled where his mouth was still covered.

“Of course,” Steve nodded solemnly down at him. “Bucky was sweet and smart and-”

“Hilarious,” Bucky added. “Don’t forget hilarious.”

Steve rolled his eyes but indulged him all the same. “And hilarious,” he added. “And adorable. _Especially_ when he drooled all over my pillows.”

“What?” Instinctively, Bucky shot up and checked the pillows for wet spots while Steve laughed. There weren’t any; not that he thought Steve would judge him if he did drool a little at night, but still. Bucky had been hoping to at least maintain _some_ semblance of allure in the relationship. “Not funny,” Bucky informed him, sticking out his bottom lip dramatically and flopping back down onto the bed.

Steve laughed again. Beyond the bedroom window the sun was clearly starting its way down for the day, and the light streaming in through the glass was a dusky amber color that caught every strand of Steve’s hair and made it shine like gold.

“Calm down, Sleeping Beauty,” Steve teased. “Your dignity is intact, I promise.”

“But is it really?” Bucky groaned as he sank further back into the pillows.

“It is,” Steve assured him with a smile. “You always look good.” There was something else in his eyes just then, a flash of something hot and heavy that was there and gone again in an instant.

“You should be careful with that kind of talk,” Bucky said, propping himself up on his elbows. As if drawn by a magnet, Steve leaned in, closing the gap between them and making the space small and intimate. “My boyfriend might get jealous.”

“Well we wouldn’t want that, would we?” Steve murmured, his voice low and dangerous. Bucky could feel Steve’s breath ghosting across his lips, and Bucky’s skin burned in its wake.

Bucky didn’t know who closed the gap between them first. It might have been the both of them at once, but that didn’t matter. All that mattered was that they were kissing and it felt like putting the last piece of a very large puzzle in place. It felt right with Steve. It always had, ever since their first kiss, and Bucky prayed that that feeling never went away. Kissing Steve was like sinking into a warm bath; comforting and familiar. Steve’s lips were impossibly soft and full, and he smelled faintly of soap. Before Bucky had a chance to really settle into the kiss, Steve started to pull away.

“Nope,” Bucky said, pulling his hands free from the tangle of blankets and draping them around Steve instead. One wrapped around the back of Steve’s neck, brushing through the short hair at the base of his skull, while the other caught the collar of Steve’s t-shirt. Bucky twisted his fingers into the fabric and pulled Steve down. He came willingly, maneuvering his large body underneath the blankets until he was straddling Bucky’s waist. Their shared heat in the enclosed space was deliciously warm.

Bucky tugged Steve to him again by the collar. When Steve was close enough Bucky kissed him, picking up right where they’d left off. There was an aggressiveness to it that hadn’t been there before; Steve’s lips were hard and bruising on his, the technique sloppy. The kiss was leading somewhere quickly, and although he’d just woken up, Bucky was more than ready.  
Steve was on his hands and knees, penning Bucky in with his arms and thighs. This time, when Steve pulled back, Bucky let him go, watching as Steve towered over him. The blankets still covered them, but enough light leaked through that Bucky could see Steve’s face clearly. His eyes were like fire as he stared down at Bucky, a hungry look on his face.

Bucky felt a bit like he was living in an extended dream, and that at any second he might wake up alone and cold in his own bed. He didn’t know what was happening to him, or maybe he did but he just didn’t care. He’d fallen well and truly hard for Steve Rogers, and he couldn’t even find it within himself to be upset at how quickly it had happened. With anyone else, Bucky would think that maybe he’d gone crazy, or had a lapse in judgement, but something with Steve just felt _right_. Like it was something that Bucky had always been searching for, even before he’d known it was missing.

He almost couldn’t believe his luck that he’d ended up with Steve. Steve, who accepted Bucky and who he was and what he did with barely a blink of an eye. Sure, they’d had their missteps and mistakes in the short time they’d been together, but at the end of the day, Steve had proven that he was there for Bucky. That he was all in. So _in_ , in fact, that he’d dragged in the rest of the Avengers, and really, what could Bucky say to that?

“Please?”

Bucky didn’t recognize his own voice, was hardly even aware that he was the one speaking. But Steve didn’t skip a beat, just answered Bucky’s quiet plea by leaning down and kissing him again. Softer now, but still with his intent clear in every move. Bucky tilted his head up to meet him as Steve gently lowered himself down to rest more of his weight on Bucky. The contact was solid and sure, and Bucky felt grounded by it.

Bucky’s other hand was still woven into Steve’s hair, and now he tightened his fingers, gripping at the fine blonde strands until Steve rewarded him with a little noise in the back of his throat, like a whine only deeper. Steve’s hair was slightly damp - he must have taken a shower recently - and the small cave they’d made of the blankets was permeated by the scent of shampoo.

Steve tilted his head and deepened the kiss. He had clearly skipped shaving that day, because his stubble rubbed at the skin around Bucky’s mouth, and _oh_. That was new. Steve was always so meticulous with his grooming. Bucky hadn’t taken the time to consider what it might be like to kiss him with facial hair, but now all he could do was imagine how it would feel to have that beard between his legs, scratching at the delicate skin of his inner thighs.

Bucky’s hips moved of their own accord, up and rubbing flush with Steve’s. This time, Bucky was the one who made a noise of surprise. Steve chased the sound, putting more of his weight down, pressing Bucky into the mattress as his tongue ran along Bucky’s bottom lip.

Bucky opened his mouth eagerly, allowing Steve access. His fingers stiffened in Steve’s hair, his other hand still curled into the neck of Steve’s t-shirt. Prying his fingers loose from Steve’s collar, Bucky wrapped his arm around Steve’s broad shoulders. He could feel the shifting play of muscle under his palm, and he wished Steve’s shirt wasn’t in his way. Bucky’s cock, which had been hardening since their first kiss, was now straining against the waistband of the too-big pair of borrowed sweatpants. The fabric rubbed against the head of his cock, creating friction, but not enough, and not the kind that Bucky was craving. Against his leg, he could feel that Steve was as hard as he was.

Steve’s tongue explored every inch of Bucky’s mouth, touching and tasting. Bucky tipped his head back and swallowed a moan, meeting Steve’s tongue with his own. With a little effort, he got one leg out from under Steve and wrapped it around the back of Steve’s thighs. He tugged and brought Steve closer, closing what little space they’d had left between them.

They were pressed together from chest to groin, and Bucky squirmed as Steve moved, grinding against him, with their cocks trapped between their bodies. Steve did it again and again until Bucky nearly whimpered with frustration. He wanted more than what he was getting, but he also didn’t want to stop what they were doing either. The feeling of Steve’s cock rubbing against his own, even through layers of sheets, was too much and too little all at the same time. He felt Steve’s fingers under his chin pushing insistently, and Bucky went where Steve guided him, tipping his head back against the pillows until his throat was bared. He felt Steve’s lips slip from his and glide over the corner of his mouth, across the angle of his jaw, and down the soft, vulnerable skin of his neck until they settled at the junction of his neck and shoulder. He moaned as Steve sucked, thrusting his hips up mindlessly. Steve took his motion in stride, bearing down and turning it into a grind that sent sparks of sensation zipping up Bucky’s spine from his cock.

Steve sucked harder at his neck, and even though he hated to do it, Bucky tugged at Steve’s hair and shook his head lightly. It felt like a herculean task for Bucky to follow his own rule, but he didn’t like to go to appointments with marks that his clients could see. But _oh_ , the thought of it, of being marked by Steve, made something bright and fizzy burst in Bucky’s chest, and maybe, maybe one day…

But for today, Steve graciously took the cue and immediately eased up, soothing the offended spot with his tongue before kissing it lightly. The slight glance of his lips set Bucky's skin to buzzing even more than the firmest of touches could. Steve continued down the same trail as before, dropping kisses evenly along Bucky’s clavicle and stopping only long enough to impatiently push Bucky’s shirt up. He paused as he reached Bucky’s bare chest, stopping just over his heart. Bucky could feel his pulse strumming in his ribcage, his heart beating out a staccato rhythm, and he wondered if Steve could feel it too.

Steve finally settled on one of his nipples and Bucky gasped out loud, the sound turning into a moan so loud that he surprised even himself as Steve scraped his teeth over the sensitive bit of flesh. Steve circled the tightened skin with his tongue, tugging at the metal bar through it with his lips. Each tug pulled at Bucky’s overwrought nerves and seemed to go straight to his cock. He was making some sort of noise, a humming whine from somewhere deep in his throat, and it seemed to spur Steve on. He sucked harder as he ground down with his hips, rolling them so that they might as well have been fucking were it not for the clothes still between them. Bucky’s muscles tightened, his limbs clamping down on their own as he clung to Steve, and his entire world narrowed down to Steve’s mouth on his chest and Steve’s cock pressing against his own.

Steve knew what Bucky wanted without Bucky having to say a word. Steve lifted himself up and Bucky quickly followed suite, the two of them scrambling to remove as much of their clothing as they could without breaking apart more than absolutely necessary. As he got his fingers into the waistband of his pants and yanked at them, Bucky’s cock sprang free from the fabric. He kicked off the offending garment to disappear somewhere beneath the covers and then _thank god_ Steve was back and it was just the two of them, no barriers, nothing to hide behind.

Bucky sighed at the feeling of his skin pressed up against Steve’s, and then inhaled sharply as Steve reached down between them and wrapped one massive hand around their cocks before giving them both a firm stroke. Bucky’s body heaved upward as if pulled by an invisible thread, bending him taut like bowstring. Steve stroked them both again.

Bucky could feel Steve’s breath hot on his chest. “Ohh,” slipped out before Bucky could stop himself, and then again, “ _ohh,_ ” as Steve gave a last, firm suck to Bucky’s nipple before pulling off and promptly switching to do the whole thing over again on the other one, lighting up a completely new set of nerves. Bucky was breathing hard, the hot air trapped by the blankets around them. His face was on fire, his skin blazing wherever Steve touched, and it was all Bucky could do to keep his eyes open as Steve worked at his chest and cock.

He felt enveloped by Steve. Bucky breathed in Steve’s scent, tasted the trace of Steve’s lips on his own, felt the fire that Steve’s fingers had left in their wake. All he could fathom was _Steve._ And that wasn’t like Bucky, wasn’t his style at all, to give up control so thoroughly to another person. But it was like he’d been picked up by a tornado and whirled around until he didn’t know up from down or right from left, and he had no idea when or where he’d be put back down on the ground.

“Steve,” Bucky gasped into the silence between them. “Steve, please-”

Steve cut him off with his lips. Bucky’s chest was cold and bereft where Steve lips had been, but there was an exciting force behind his kiss, a bruising desperation that thrilled Bucky. Steve’s hips rocked against Bucky’s as he continued to stroke them both at a steady, relentless pace that barely allowed Bucky time to catch his breath, his gaspy inhale turning into a groan as Steve ran one large thumb over the head of his cock. Bucky could feel his orgasm starting to build deep in his core, like the far-off rumble of an avalanche coming down the mountain to bury him and swallow him whole.

Steve’s lips were suddenly replaced with two of his fingers. He rested them on Bucky’s bottom lip, firm but patient, asking for permission before he proceeded. Bucky opened his mouth eagerly, his tongue curling around Steve’s fingers, getting them good and wet. The pads of Steve’s fingers were rough and calloused from hard work, and his skin tasted like salt and _Steve,_ and the feel of it was exhilarating as he pumped his fingers in and out of Bucky’s mouth. Bucky sucked at them, saliva gathering at the corners of his mouth and coating his chin, and he could see Steve grin in the dim light.

“Good boy,” Steve told him, and Bucky practically keened at the praise. He distantly wondered who the fuck this was who had apparently replaced the normal Bucky and his constant desire to be in control. He didn’t have time to wonder for too long though, as Steve suddenly pulled his spit-soaked fingers from Bucky’s mouth, leaving Bucky breathless and empty. It was thrilling to be like this, so under Steve’s spell. Bucky felt intoxicated, high on the sight and sound and smell of it, raw like an exposed nerve.

Steve nudged a knee in between Bucky’s thighs, spreading his legs wide. Instinctively, Bucky’s knees went up, exposing where he desperately wanted to feel Steve. Steve didn’t disappoint him, reaching down and rubbing gently at Bucky’s hole, circling the tight ring of muscle and massaging the skin with his wet fingers. Every feather-light touch was like a bomb going off inside Bucky. He squirmed beneath Steve’s fingers, unable to stop himself. Only Steve’s solid presence kept him from lifting off the bed entirely as Steve slipped the tip of one finger inside. They hadn’t grabbed a condom or lube, and Bucky doubted either of them were about to interrupt the moment to do so. This meant they were limited in their choices, but Steve made do perfectly. He waited for Bucky to adjust to the intrusion, never stopping the even strokes of Bucky’s cock with his other hand. The silky smooth skin of Steve’s cock against his, the heat of Steve’s hand, and the rough skin of his thumb as he traced it lightly across Bucky’s balls had him shuddering and shaking so hard he was afraid he might fly apart into a million pieces if something didn’t change soon.

Steve’s finger slipped further inside and then paused, giving Bucky time to get used to the sensation. As turned on as he was ( _and believe it, he was_ ), spit was still no substitute for real lubrication, and Steve was going exceptionally slow to accommodate that. Carefully, so carefully that Bucky wanted to scream, Steve moved his finger, pumping it in and out, massaging Bucky from the inside, relaxing the muscle until he could slip a second finger inside. The stretch of that one burned a little, and Steve dove back down to swallow the sound Bucky made with a kiss. His fingers moved experimentally, each new twist setting off firecrackers that sparked up Bucky’s spine, searching, always searching and then-

 _“Ah! Ah-ah-ah”_ , Bucky panted out as each breath was forced from his lungs. Steve curled his finger again and again into Bucky’s prostate, rubbing hard against the bundle of nerves until Bucky was a squirming mess beneath him.

Breaking the kiss, Bucky stared up at Steve’s face. There was sweat gathered at his temple, darkening the blonde strands, and the inside of the blankets was hot from their breath and bodies. Steve’s full lips were dark red and bruised, and his brow furrowed in concentration as he attended to his task. He was perfect, absolutely perfect, and somehow, he was _Bucky’s_. Soon, Steve settled into a rhythm, stroking their cocks together in time with the movement of his fingers. Bucky’s brain was scattered, his focus in a million different places at once under the onslaught of stimulation. His pulse roared and his breath came short and fast as the embers smoldering in his belly caught fire and spread, engulfing him as flames danced along his limbs. He was too big for his skin. He was on fire and doused in ice. He was-

“ _Ah_ , Steve, _Steve please._ ”

“That’s it,” Steve murmured against Bucky’s lips, never letting his pace falter for even a second. “That’s it. Come for me, Bucky, _baby_. Come.”

An animal sound ripped itself from Bucky’s throat as he came, following Steve’s command. His cock jumped and pulsed in Steve’s hand, and Steve continued to stroke him, pulling and teasing his orgasm from him bit by agonizing bit. Bucky’s body shuddered and his muscles clenched down around Steve’s fingers, pushing them firmly into his prostate as Bucky painted both their stomachs with his release.

_“Oh.”_

The sound was so small and surprised that Bucky almost missed it amidst the noise he was making. But then he saw it; the way Steve’s face scrunched up and the look in his eyes, almost like he was caught off guard by his own orgasm. He’d been so solely focused on Bucky that his own pleasure had come second. The idea of being cared for like that flooded Bucky with warmth as he watched the muscles in Steve’s abdomen tighten and his thighs flex as he followed Bucky quickly over the edge. His hand faltered as he came too, adding to the mess between them. The sensation of Steve’s cock moving against his own, the stimulation of skin on skin was too much too soon, and Bucky shivered and twitched as Steve’s hand rolled over his cock, sending little aftershocks through him.

Out of consideration, Steve didn’t collapse on top of him, but he did let his weight down slowly. Bucky wrapped both arms around Steve’s back, squeezing Steve to him, and ignoring the mess they’d made of themselves. Steve’s chest heaved against his, the only sound their ragged breathing as each of them came down from the high of their climax.

When he could think properly again, Bucky looked at Steve; his mussed hair, the blissed out expression in his eyes, and the dazed smile on his lips. Steve’s shoulders shifted under Bucky’s palms as he breathed, and Bucky couldn’t help but remember the ride home from the Tower on Steve’s motorcycle. The heady feel of zipping through the city, barreling down the road with the wind wild in his hair and the strong, solid comfort of Steve to cling onto.

Bucky stayed quiet for a few minutes, content to just breathe and ride out the waves of a truly fantastic orgasm. Sweat rolled down his temples and their come started to dry tacky between them.

“Are you still happy you asked me out?”

Steve pushed himself up on his elbows, wincing at the sticky mess on his stomach. “Yes,” he said simply, like the answer was obvious. “More than anything.”

Bucky’s grin split over his face as Steve kissed him hard.  
“Now,” Bucky said pulling away. “I believe that someone promised me pancakes the other night.”

Steve took the quick change of subject in stride, raising an eyebrow and kissing him again before saying, “Now who would have done a thing like that?”

“You wouldn’t know him,” Bucky shrugged as he curled his toes around the back of Steve’s calf and stroked the skin there. “Big. Kinda dumb. But really hot. And not too shabby in bed either.”

Steve’s eyebrows shot up. “Is that all I am to you? Sex and food?”

“I mean, not in that order.”

Steve’s eyes narrowed in mock-anger, but his smile was playful. “In that case…” He shrugged and, _oh no_ , Bucky knew that look.

“Wait, Steve, don’t-!”

But It was too late. Steve was already pushing himself up and yanking the covers off the both of them. Bucky’s skin instantly broke out in goosebumps as he swore up a blue streak. Steve laughed, his blue eyes dancing in amusement as he hauled himself up off of Bucky and over to the edge of the bed. He was still chuckling as he disappeared into the bathroom, his glee only subsiding slightly by the time he returned with a damp but warm washcloth. Gently, Steve knelt down and wiped the drying mess from Bucky’s stomach and thighs. When Steve went to clean himself off, Bucky stopped him with an insistent hand on his wrist. Bucky took the towel softly from Steve’s grasp and went to work on cleaning Steve up, taking special care when rubbing at the sensitive skin around his cock and balls. By the time he’d finished, Steve was half-hard again, and Bucky knew Steve could easily go another round or two if Bucky so much as asked. He glanced up and saw the look in Steve’s eyes and the brief biting of his lip as he debated against his own desire.

“Come on,” Steve finally said, tossing the towel into the corner hamper and holding a hand out to Bucky. Bucky took it reluctantly, swinging his body up and out of the bed with Steve’s help. Now that the effects of his orgasm were fading, Bucky could feel once again how tired and achy he was. “Let’s go get you those pancakes.”

Bucky dug the sweatpants he’d been wearing out from under the sheets and wriggled back into them, before stealing another soft, well worn t-shirt from Steve’s closet.

“Chocolate chips?” Bucky asked hopefully.

Steve pulled a new shirt over his head as well, his voice muffled by the fabric. “I _guess,_ ” he said with faux-exaggeration. “But only because I like you.”

Bucky’s borrowed pants were so long that he had to roll the cuffs to avoid walking on the hems. Steve only had a few inches on him in height, but it seemed that translated poorly when it came to pant sizes. At some point, Bucky knew he’d have to change into his own clothes, but for now he was content.

“No accounting for taste I suppose,” Bucky said, shrugging.

“Did you just insult yourself?” Steve asked as he made his way into the kitchen with Bucky following behind him. There was a pot of water cooling on the stove and tea steeping in a mug on the counter. Steve must have been up for a while before he’d come to check on Bucky.

“It’s a rare talent.” Bucky bounced in place, balancing on the balls of his feet. Now that he was awake (and sexed-up for good measure, thank you very much Steve), he felt strangely energetic even though his body was still sore from stress. The sleep must have done him better than he’d thought, but he still felt like he could nap for another couple of hours without any problems. “Yay, _coffee_.”

Bucky made a beeline for the coffee maker and the little tin of fresh coffee grounds on the counter next to it.

“Oh, no no no,” Steve said, intercepting him. “No coffee for you. You’re so jittery you’re making _me_ anxious. Have some tea.” He gently tugged the tin of grounds from Bucky’s hand and replaced it with a steaming mug of tea. Bucky gave him a flat look.

“Steve,” he said. “I have a very urgent, very unhealthy caffeine addiction that I’ve been carefully cultivating for the last decade. Do you really want to be the one to get between me and my coffee?”

Steve smiled cheerfully as he put the tin back in its spot on the counter. “Fuckin’ try me, Barnes.”

Bucky raised the mug up to his mouth and sniffed at it suspiciously before taking a cautious sip. As teas went, it wasn’t bad. The steam that wafted up from the cup was subtly floral and sweet, but regardless, it was the principle of the thing.

“You _will_ pay for this, Steve Rogers,” Bucky told him with narrowed eyes before taking another sip.

Steve shrugged, a sly smile on his face. “I seem to recall you making a similar threat after our first date, and I don’t remember regretting that payback at all.”

Bucky rolled his eyes and shot Steve the finger as he drank deeply, scalding his tongue in an effort to hide the sudden redness of his cheeks. He recalled that night very well, and he definitely didn’t regret it either.

Much as he was loathe to admit it, the tea calmed Bucky down as he breathed in deeply, the warm steam filling his nostrils with the perfumed scent. Bucky leaned back on the counter, watching idly as Steve went to work. As he started to prepare the food, Steve moved around the kitchen with a grace that belied his massive size. It was fascinating, the way Steve could change his entire presence with just a few subtle movements. He could shrink in deference or fill up the room with power depending on his mood, and Bucky never tired of watching him be so confident in his own skin. Something warm flowed through him, and he smiled softly into his drink before rolling his eyes at himself. Once again, here he was turning into a goddamn romantic over Steve Rogers. It was as disgusting as it was inevitable.

For a while the kitchen was silent, the only sound the soft scraping of the whisk against the mixing bowl as Steve stirred together the ingredients. He dropped in the promised chocolate chips at the end. Bucky, however, soon got lost in his own thoughts. There was something that had been bugging him from the second they’d left the Tower when the madness of dealing with Pierce was over.

“Do you think I should tell Becca?”

Steve paused before pouring a circle of batter onto the griddle. “Do _you_ think you should tell her?”

Bucky felt his good mood dim. It was like a cloud had settled over the sun even though the light coming in through the kitchen curtains was as steady as it had been just moments prior. He sighed as he got lost in the events of the other night and even before that; going out with Becca and running into Pierce. The way she’d looked at him, worry in her eyes, as Bucky clumsily reassured her that he’d be safe with Pierce.

“I don’t know,” he said quietly.

Steve stayed silent, listening, as he transferred a small stack of golden brown pancakes to a plate to cool and poured new batter onto the griddle.

“Becca and I were…inseparable as kids.” Bucky closed his eyes and he could practically see the two of them. Becca, her brown hair in loose pigtails because that was the only thing she would stay still long enough for their mother to do, and Bucky, with a cowlick and perpetually scuffed knees. “We’re twins. Our entire lives, I could always tell her anything. No matter what happened, no matter how weird or embarrassing or bad it was. I knew that she’d be there and that she wouldn’t judge me. It was the hardest thing I’d ever done, going away to college while she stayed home with Mom and Dad. And it was only a few hours away. Hardly anything at all. But…” Bucky pursed his lips and frowned. “Things changed. Or I guess maybe I changed. I don’t know. But when I came back, things were different.”

“You grew up,” Steve said simply. “The both of you did. There’s no shame in that.”

“Yeah,” Bucky said, but he wasn’t at all convinced. His chest ached as he remembered the awkwardness, the uncertainty, the maddening frustration of not even being able to point out what was different, just that it was. “Point is, I started escorting that year. I was 18, I hadn’t figured myself out yet, and I had a lot of mixed emotions about it. So I did what I always did when I was upset and confused and I told Becca. And she just... I wasn’t expecting her reaction. She was so upset. We had a massive blowout. It got… ugly. We didn’t talk to each other for almost a year after that. Mom was going out of her mind over it. I mean, we eventually made up, but… it took so long to even get to where we are now.”

Bucky rubbed the bridge of his nose, fighting a sudden headache. “She’s always telling me I’m not being safe. Not sexually,” Bucky waved the idea away. “We’ve had that very uncomfortable conversation before and I don’t think either of us ever wants to repeat that particular experience. But... she’s told me for years that one day I’m going to run into a client that I can’t handle. I think she was picturing the kind of thing that ends up in the news, that I’d be found dead in a ditch somewhere or doing drugs in a back alley. And I guess in a way she was right. I wasn’t able to handle Pierce. But the thing is… _I_ still don’t think she’s right. I don’t feel any different about my job now. What happened with Pierce was… a lot. But it’s an outlier. It happened because of who he was, not because of me or how I run my business. But if I tell Becca about it, then all she’s going to hear is that her fears were justified. She won’t understand the difference. And don’t get me wrong, I love my sister, but I also _know_ her, and the moment she has the tiniest bit of leverage, then this tentative peace we’ve got going will be gone. And I don’t want to let Alexander fuckin’ Pierce drive us even farther apart.”

Bucky gulped down the now lukewarm tea when he’d finished speaking. Steve was still quiet as he turned off the stove and grabbed the plate that was now stacked high with pancakes.

“I can’t speak to having a sister,” he finally said, keeping his eyes firmly on his work as he deposited the food on the table and grabbed plates and cutlery from the cabinets. “I don’t know what it’s like to have a sibling. But I do know the feeling of caring for someone so deeply that the thought of them in danger tears you apart. Becca may not be expressing her feelings in a healthy, productive way, but she’s still your sister, and she loves you enough to want you safe. I can’t fault her for that.”

Bucky’s cheeks were uncomfortably warm, and his eyes smarted as he busied himself with filling two glasses of water from the sink and bringing them over to the table. Steve caught his wrist as he set the drinks down.

“Hey,” Steve said softly. Bucky looked at him, and Steve’s eyes were so gentle it hurt. “I’m not saying you have to tell her anytime soon, or even ever, if you don’t want to. I’m just saying, as someone who also cares deeply about you, if I were in Becca’s place, I’d want to know.”

Bucky swallowed heavily and nodded. Steve let go of his wrist and brought a hand up to cup Bucky’s cheek before leaning in to kiss him, nothing more than a gentle press of his lips. “It’s not something you have to figure out today, okay? What you went through the other night was incredibly hard, and you were so brave. It’s okay to give yourself a break. Figure out how you feel.”

Bucky closed his eyes, not willing to let himself cry right now, and kissed Steve again before pulling back. “I feel fine,” he insisted.

Steve’s solemn stare froze him in his tracks. “Bucky,” Steve said simply, but it wasn’t hard to read the sentiment behind it.

“I’m _fine,_ ” Bucky said again.

“ _Bucky_ ,” Steve repeated, “what you went through-”

“What I went through,” Bucky cut him off, “sucked. I acknowledge that. And I do have… feelings about it. But I…” He hung his head, suddenly unable to look Steve in the eye. The truth was that his feelings were a jumbled mess and the thought of sorting them out was exhausting. The one thing he did know was that he didn’t want to talk about it right now. “I’m not saying I don’t care. I’m saying I need some time.”

Steve breathed deep, not quite a sigh, but close, before saying, “Yeah. Yeah, of course. I’m sorry for pushing.”

“You’re fine,” Bucky said, finally looking back up with a half-smile.

Steve’s mouth twisted in thought. “Still. Even if you don’t know how you feel yet, I want you to know that I’m proud of you. You did a hard thing and you did it without falling apart, and that’s something.”

“I didn’t _do_ anything,” Bucky huffed as they sat down. He was suddenly starving, and the smell of the pancakes was overwhelming. He was still upset about Becca, but the lead weight that had taken up residence in his stomach had lessened somewhat, and in its absence he was ravenous.

“Yes you did,” Steve said, taking a bite.

“I really, _really_ didn’t,” Bucky argued, before stuffing a too-large forkful of pancakes and syrup into his mouth and chewing aggressively. “I just stood there while you all took him apart. I was… frozen. But I wasn’t scared. Panicked, yes. Worried about what was going to happen, about what might get out if he went through with his threats, but… not scared. It’s strange.”

“What is?”

“Just... and please don’t take this the wrong way, but I spent so much time with Pierce. More than any other client by a long shot, and I never once… He could be overbearing and possessive, but I never thought it would come to that.”

“I’m just glad it didn’t go any further,” Steve said quietly, sipping his glass of water and staring at his pancakes like they’d suddenly wronged him.

“Yeah,” Bucky agreed. “Because of you. I can’t believe how quickly you got all that information on him.”

“That was 100% Tony,” Steve said, smiling ruefully. “You were there, you saw. I didn’t do much either. But wait ‘til you see what Tony can do with more than a few minutes warning. It’s truly frightening.”

Bucky grinned as he sopped up the syrup on his plate. “Wait ‘til I see, huh? I guess that means you like me enough to have around your friends again?”

Steve winced. “With Natasha, I don’t think I’ve got a choice. You’re going to be around them whether I like it or not. But don’t worry. I want them to get to know you. I hope you’ll like them.”

Bucky winked. “I like you. You like them. I’m sure I’ll like them too.” He stuffed the last bite of food into his mouth and washed it down with cold tea before checking the time on his phone and wincing. “Ugh. I’ve got an appointment in two hours.”

Steve sat back in his chair, cutlery crossed neatly across his empty plate. “If you’re tired, why don’t you cancel?”

Bucky would be lying if he said he hadn’t already seriously considered that option, but…

“That asshole is not taking any more of my time,” he said, and he meant it with every fibre of his being.

Steve smiled at him, his eyes soft and warm. “Fair enough. But could I interest you in some terrible movies and eating Chinese takeout in our pajamas afterwards?”

Bucky grinned and felt that familiar warmth rise in his core once again. “I’d love that.”

==⍟==

Steve was tired too. Exhausted really, although he’d been careful to not let Bucky see too much. He’d been through enough, and didn’t need the added pressure of worrying about Steve on his plate. It was a new feeling, strange and foreign; Steve hadn’t cared about another person like this in a very long time. Sure, he loved his team like family. He’d die for them, but that didn’t mean he’d let them into those most private, personal places of his. The ones that he gladly bared time and time again for Bucky. To be honest, he’d forgotten how terrifying, not to mention exhausting, caring about another person could be.

Right now though, it wasn’t so bad. The dishes were soaking in the sink, and the apartment was filled with the simple smells of flour and sugar and syrup. The living room was lovely and warm, and the couch cushion beneath his head was soft and welcoming. He could hear the shower running in the other room, and the white noise threatened to lull him to sleep. Bucky had run back to his own apartment after eating to get the things he needed for his appointment, but now he was back, and judging by the amount of time he’d been in there, he was apparently drowning in Steve’s shower.

And that was a dangerous thought. Well, not Bucky drowning obviously, but Bucky in general, wet and naked and only a room away. Steve’s libido had always been high but _god_ , Bucky sent it through the fucking roof. Steve’s stolid self-control was nowhere to be found when it came to Bucky Barnes. He didn’t have to look farther than a few hours ago for an example. He’d gone to check on Bucky as he slept and had ended up in bed with him. Steve’s fingers itched to slide under the waistband of his pants as he thought of what they’d done, but he quickly stopped himself. It didn’t feel right with Bucky in the next room.

And good thing he decided against it, because just then he heard the water turn off and the sounds of Bucky shuffling around the bathroom. _An appointment._ Steve knew that he himself wouldn’t have the strength to go out and be charming and attentive for a client after everything that had happened in the past few days. But Bucky was strong, and he had surprised Steve over and over with his resolve. Steve wondered if he’d ever stop being in awe of Bucky Barnes.

“What do you think?”

And the answer, apparently, was no. Bucky would never, ever quit taking Steve by surprise.

Bucky’s hair was damp from the shower, the water darkening the strands to nearly black. He’d rimmed his eyes in smoky liner, and the dark blue of them stood out against it like a vibrant painting. He’d also done something to make his lips look even fuller than normal, and Steve’s eyes were drawn to them over and over again. Bucky’s jeans looked painted on they were so tight, and Steve could see every shift of his thigh muscles beneath the dark denim. They hugged his hips low, naturally drawing the eye down the long lines of his legs. His black shirt was short-sleeved, a sleek and tailored button-down that he’d left open to bare his chest. The skin that peeked out was smooth and pale, and the light glinted off his nipple rings when he moved.

Steve realized that his mouth was hanging open and quickly snapped it shut. _Not quickly enough,_ it seemed. A sly grin crept across Bucky’s face.

“You like it?” Bucky asked, practically crowing in delight.

Steve didn’t bother to deny it, as he wasn’t entirely certain that filthy things wouldn’t start pouring out of his mouth the second he opened it. He was dizzy, a distinct lack of blood was flowing to his head, and he had a good hunch on where it was all going instead. Steve let out a strangled breath.

Bucky grinned wider as he crossed the room, his hips swinging in a way that wasn’t his normal walk, but threatened to bring Steve to his knees all the same. For a moment, Bucky towered over him, and then he was settling on the couch, knees on either side of Steve’s thighs, practically sitting in Steve’s lap. Before Steve had a moment to process what was happening, Bucky was already in his face.

“You’re a fan of this look, I take it?” Bucky asked. His teeth looked wicked and sharp when he smiled. Steve’s cock had gotten hard in the time it had taken Bucky to cross the room, and now it was straining against the thin fabric of his sweats, tenting the cloth. Bucky glanced down at Steve’s obvious arousal and then back at Steve.

Steve didn’t trust his voice, so instead he nodded, his eyes transfixed by the smooth curve of Bucky’s lower lip, the thick sweep of his eyelashes over his cheeks. Bucky leaned in and kissed him, full and deep. Steve kissed back, tasting the sweetness of gloss on Bucky’s lips. Bucky’s hands were on his chest, and he tweaked Steve’s nipple through his shirt, grinning when Steve inhaled sharply at the sensation.

“Steve,” Bucky said, speaking against Steve’s lips, his voice low and dangerous. “Steve, remember, I did warn you.”

“What?” The words didn’t make any sense, and Steve was too dazed to attempt to sort them out.

“I told you that you’d pay for taking my coffee.”

“ _What?_ ”

Steve’s tongue was still untangling his words as Bucky stood and dusted himself off. Steve was frozen in place, his cock so hard it ached, his blood rushing in his ears, his mouth hanging open.

“The fuck...” Steve’s head cleared slowly, his body screaming at him to _keep going_. “Oh my god,” Steve groaned. “You’ve got to be fuckin’ kidding me.”

“I never kid when it comes to coffee,” Bucky said simply, shrugging. “Never fuck with a man’s caffeine unless you’re ready to pay the price.”

“Bucky.” Steve’s voice was more pleading than he’d intended.

“See you tonight,” Bucky responded brightly, pecking Steve on the cheek with a quick kiss before disappearing quickly out the door, bag in tow and a pleased look on his face.

Steve fell back against the couch groaning, half in disbelief and half in horniness as his cock brushed the fabric of his pants. “Fuck,” he muttered as he slid his hand beneath his waistband to grip his cock. He felt a little bit like he’d been hit by a truck, a little bit high, and a little bit dazed, but he was starting to realize that that was just what Bucky did to him. And goddamn, if he didn’t love every single second.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Fall Around Me Now [PODFIC]](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21966064) by [WhisperWarden](https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhisperWarden/pseuds/WhisperWarden)




End file.
